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"We understood that a win over Kaya FC was our only chance of advancing, so we had to do our best in this game. We asked our players to attack from the start, and we won thanks to our flexibility," said Gede. "We had a great match. The team fought with an incredible spirit, so we deserve this result."
Defender Que Ngoc Hai and midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang returned to the Viettel FC starting line-up against Kaya FC, which helped solidify their defense and provide their attack greater speed and strength.
This is Viettel's first participation at the AFC Champions League. The V. League 2020 champions are Vietnam’s only representative this year and their 5-0 win over Kaya was the biggest victory ever by a Vietnamese club in the tournament's history.
"We had made some changes compared to our match against Ulsan Hyundai. The return of some players from the national team also markedly improved the quality of the team. Everyone made great efforts, especially at the beginning of each half to score important goals," added Gede.
"Even young players did a brilliant job, which brought a great balance to the team. This is very good for the future of Viettel FC."
In the match against ACL defending champions Ulsan Hyundai last Saturday, they suffered an unfortunate 0-1 loss due to a last-minute own goal.
Viettel FC are currently second in group F with 3 points. Their match against third-place BG Pathum United on July 2 will be crucial in deciding the group runner-up spot.
"We will have to check the fitness of our players to make sure nobody is injured, and plan for the match ahead. It will definitely be a tough one, and we need rest to be on our best form."
AFC Champions League: Viettel 5-0 Kaya
